Departure dates (departing Vladivostok on day 3)Monday, Thursday, Saturday on train #1; or train #7 on even-dates.Take a look at the Trains and Schedules page for the specific details regarding Vladivostok departures and onward travel.

Day 1 Vladivostok arrivalArrive Vladivostok and meet your driver in arrivals hall (arriving by plane). Transfer to centrally located 4* Astoria hotel, where you will stay 2 nights.We can book additional accommodation and tours in Vladivostok prior to this day.

Day 2 Vladivostok city tourGuided city tour (4 hrs by car). (B)

Day 3Vladivostok departureFree day in Vladivostok before evening transfer to train station. Depart on train #1 (Rossiya) at 19:10 (Monday, Thursday, or Saturday departures only; or #7 at 21:30 even dates). (B)

Day 4On train – Russian far east

Day 5On train – Siberia

Day 6Ulan-Ude arrival | Ivolginsk DatsanArrive Ulan-Ude on train #1 at 8am (or #7 at 14:20). Meet guide on station platform and transfer to 3* Park hotel, staying 2 nights. As the capital of Russia’s Buryatia republic Ulan-Ude has a unique mix of the Buryat and Russian people and their culture, of Orthodox and Buddhist religions and Soviet industrial planning. The highlight of a stopover in Ulan-Ude is the Ivolginsk Datsan monastery, situated 35km outside of Ulan-Ude. This is the center of Buddhism in Russia and an important pilgrimage site. View the teaching areas where students study Philosophy, Tantrism, or Buddhist art and Tibetan language, monks’ living quarters, and various temples and the impressive Itygel Khambin Datsan. Continue on to a traditional ‘Old Believers’ village: the ‘Old Believers’ separated from the Russian Orthodox Church as a Protestant religion and were exiled to Siberia in the 18th century. You will visit their church and a small museum, enjoying a traditional lunch in the home of a local family. Return to Ulan-Ude in the evening. (L)

Day 7Ulan-Ude | Atsagatski DatsanYou will visit the photogenic Atsagatski Datsan (approx. one hour from Ulan Ude) to learn more about the important role Buddhism plays in the life of the local Buryat people. The monastery was completely destroyed in the 1930’s and rebuilt during the rebirth of Buddhism in the area, as is now a center for Tibetan Medicine. The local village was founded in the 19th century and keeps the traditions and customs of the Buryat people. You will have lunch with a local family in traditional dress before returning to Ulan-Ude. (B|L)

Day 8Train to IrkutskEarly morning transfer to station. Depart on train #69 at 07:15.Travel along the southern shore of Lake Baikal. Arrive Irkutsk in the late afternoon around 15:30. Meet guide on platform and transfer to 3* Marussia Boutique Hotel in Irkutsk, staying 1 night. (B)

Day 9Lake Baikal – Listvyanka Transfer to Listvyanka. Staying at the lovely Demidova Guesthouse, 2 nights. Enjoy a guided tour of Listvyanka Village and the Lake Baikal Limnological Museum. (B)

Day 10 Listvyanka | ExcursionEnjoy a moderate hiking excursion (5 hrs) in Baikal National Park, navigating the taiga forests surrounding Listvyanka and skirting the high cliffs looking over Lake Baikal. Excursion includes a stop by the foreshore to enjoy a picnic lunch. Free evening in Listvyanka. (B|L) Note: for alternative excursions, check out the Lake Baikal tour programs.

Day 11Irkutsk | Train to KrasnoyarskFree time in Listvyanka before return transfer to Irkutsk. Enjoy a guided walking tour (2 hrs) of the main sites in the city center, including: Karl Marx Street, the Church of the Transfiguration, the Epiphany Cathedral and the former Polish Cathedral.Afternoon transfer to train station. Depart on train #69 at 16:11. (B)

Day 12Krasnoyarsk arrival and city tourMorning arrival in Krasnoyarsk at 09:35. Meet guide on platform and transfer to a centrally located 3* boutique hotel, staying two nights. Enjoy a 3 hrs afternoon guided city tour by car, including: downtown Mira Prospekt, the Chapel of Saint Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, Communal Bridge, Victory Memorial, and the local Ethnographic Museum, learning some fascinating stories along the way. (B)

Day 13Krasnoyarsk – Stolby Nature ReserveThis is a full day excursion to the beautiful countryside of Siberia, and a strenuous but exhilarating day. [there are alternative options if you prefer a more relaxed tour]. Crossing the Yenisey River you head out to Stolby Nature reserve and hike 4km to the first outcrop of Stolby rocks. Here you can gain access to a number of unique rock formations, including: ‘Little Elephant’, ‘Grandfather’, ‘Feathers’ and ‘Lion’s gate’. There are a number of peaks offering views throughout the reserve and how many you visit will depend on your level of fitness, time and the weather conditions. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the outing. Return to city late afternoon. (B|L)For alternative excursions, check out the Krasnoyarsk tour programs.

Day 14Train to EkaterinburgBreakfast and transfer to the train station for departure on even days on train #1 to Ekaterinburg at 08:19. (B)

Day 15Ekaterinburg arrivalSpend the day relaxing in your comfortable cabin, enjoying the view of the Siberian taiga forest. You will pass cities such as Novosibirsk and Omsk on the ‘mid Siberian railway’, which was built between 1893 and 1898. Arrive to Ekaterinburg in the afternoon on train #1 at 13:36. Meet guide on station platform and transfer to the 3* Chekhov Hotel, staying 2 nights.

Day 16Ekaterinburg | Ural countryside – Nevyansk VillageFull-day excursion to the city of Nevyansk (80km from Ekaterinburg). Nevyansk is the one time capital of the Demidov dynasty, a very successful family of factory owners. The trip includes a visit to the famous and recently restored Nevyansk “leaning tower”, and the Transfiguration Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, plus the traditional craft center and famous Nevyansk icons. On the return trip, you will stop at Byngi Village for lunch. (B|L)Note: for alternative excursions, check out the Ekaterinburg tour programs.

Day 17 Ekaterinburg city tour | Train to MoscowBreakfast and transfer to station. Depart on train 15/59 at 10:12. (B)

Day 19Moscow city tourMeet your guide at 10:00 after breakfast and enjoy a great orientation tour of Moscow city center. All our guides have their own personal itineraries and will visit many of the main sites, including: Tverskaya street and it’s important buildings, Manezhnaya square, Marshal Zhukov monument, Lubyanka (former KGB building), Aleksandrovsky Gardens and of course the Red Square, St. Basil Cathedral and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. (B)

You have a free afternoon to continue your exploration of this exciting and vibrant city and delve into the long and turbulent history of Russia, adding on extra nights and additional Moscow tours if you wish.